{Here We Are to Trick or Treat}

And one of my littlest witch...

{Love}

Today we're celebrating twelve wonderful years of love.

{Bloom Where You're Planted}

This was the view from my front window a couple of weeks ago. It seems that lately we can only stay in one place for about 2 years . . . so yes we moved again this summer. We have decided for Jake to have his own endodontic practice in the Raleigh North Carolina area and we're BUSY getting ready to open later next month along with everything else. (I don't recommend having baby number 5, moving and starting a business all about the same time.) We are still renting and will likely move again to our very own home in a year or two, but at least we know we will be in this area for a very long time. I'm so glad, because moving is not fun. My dad tells me the paper in his address book is getting thin because he's had to erase and change our address so many times!

Due to our move and some complaints from the kids and well okay a few from me too, I decided to give our family home evening lesson on blooming where we're planted. It was based loosely on an article in the June Ensign which talked about a dandelion growing out of a crack in the sidewalk. While I wouldn't compare our home or our new city to cement (it's really quite nice) change is always hard and we will continue to work on blooming here in our new environment : )

{My Girlies}

I was off getting ready for the day and when I returned to my room I found the CUTEST scene in my bed. Thankfully they stayed long enough for me to grab my camera. I love my girlies in their matching jammies all snuggled together.

{Another Bike Rider}

Miss Emma is officially riding a two wheeled bicycle. Well, she still needs a bit of help getting started but that will come quickly. She's been wanting to learn for awhile, but I told her she would have to wait until the baby was born because my belly was too big for running along beside her : ) She was patient. We worked at it in little bits here and there until I knew she had it down, all but her letting me let go. Every time tried to let go or loosen my grip she would start to cry and tell me not to let go. Finally I bribed her with a trip to Walgreens to get a dollar treat, oh the power of a dollar. Once she got going, she was so cute. She laughed and said "I'm doing it, this is so fun, I love it!"

(Yes I realize riding a bike in a dress is not the best idea, but she wouldn't change, and if you look below you might see where she gets it from : )



Although I don't ride my bike much anymore. I have wonderful memories of riding bikes growing up. My parents bought my first bike second hand. It was green and yellow and kind of ugly, but they spray painted it red and got me a cute red and white basket. It sat it the basement for awhile until I could earn it for not sucking my thumb. I learned to ride that bike the summer before I turned five. My next bike came as a Christmas gift a couple of years later. It was a pink and white "Breezin" with a banana seat. That bike took me around the neighborhood, to school, to grandma's & to Kings to buy treats.



When I was around ten I started saving up for a 10 speed. It was blue and I bought it from Coast to Coast with money I saved from babysitting. I went all kinds of places on that bike. I pulled my brothers and sisters in a bike trailer and took them with me. I loved to ride around out on the country roads, I even rode to Idaho Falls a few times. My next bike came right before I went to college. Some kids get a car, I got a bike, and that's how I got around. I rode to class and to the movies and most other places I wanted to go. A favorite spot to ride was up Provo Canyon to Bridal Veil Falls. That bike also made lots of trips to my Grandparents house. That was a yucky ride up hill both ways, but the destination was worth it.

I'm grateful for the freedom riding a bike gave to me and I've loved teaching each of my children (and a few others people's children) how to ride a bike. While my children won't have the luxury of going all the places I used to go by myself on a bike, I'm grateful they enjoy riding around with their friends and getting from here to there. Who knows, maybe reflecting on these memories will get me out riding my bike again. I'm sure my kids would like that.